beliefs verses convictions

I guess blogs are a great place to think out loud and I'm wrestling with an idea I need to let out! I listen all the time to people talk about their beliefs. They make statement after statement about their beliefs and it gets me jazzed up to hear the passion in their voices! Now, listening to people talk about beliefs is not unusual since everybody's got an opinion and don't mind sharing it with you. What confuses me is their ability to make decisions to support their beliefs. In other words, what I'm wrestling with understanding the difference between belief and conviction. I here people talk all the time about the priority of their faith but then I watch the development of their faith become their last option. (ie. When did church camp and a mountain top experience with God become less important than sports camp, band camp, cheer camp, dance camp, etc?!?) I'm scared for the next generation of Christ-followers who are watching us proclaim our beliefs and yet live with mixed conviction. I'm not opposed to sports camps, please know I've spent enough time and sent enough money to places all over the south but I pray my children will see me place faith development before athletic or music or art development. Our children will know our convictions by how we set our calendars and how we write our checks. In my own life, I'm trying to be slow to speak and deliberate in what I hold to be my convictions! OK, well now I've got that out of my head.